Ernest St. Leon
Encyclopedia
Ernest "Diamond Dick" St. Leon (d. August 31, 1898) was a French-American law enforcement officer and a member of the Texas Rangers
, known prominently during the 1880s as one of its finest undercover officers. He received the nickname "Diamond Dick" from his fellow officers due to his habit of wearing diamonds on his uniform.
. While still in law school
, he left to join the US Cavalry and had a distinguished career participating in the Texas-Indian Wars
. According to one account, he reportedly killed three warriors single handed after one of his men had been killed and eventually rose to the rank of sergeant before his discharge from military service.
He later joined the Texas Rangers, serving in Company-D throughout the 1880s and working extensively in undercover operations. St. Leon was eventually dismissed from the force due to his drinking however he did remain in contact with John Hughes and worked with him in an unofficial capacity for a time. In 1889, hired by the Fronteriza Mining Company, he was involved in the capture of a group of silver ore thieves who were traveling with a large mule caravan en route to their hideout where they planned to hide the loot in an abandoned silver mine outside Shafter, Texas
. Posing as one of the escorts, he led the robbers into an ambush as Texas Rangers John R. Hughes
and Lon Oden
, assisted by St. Leon, attempted to take them into custody. Antonio Carrasco and his two brothers were killed in the ensuing gunfight and were later buried next to the abandoned mine.
While living among the Mexican-American peasants along the border, he was able to obtain a list of twenty names of men involved in the murder of Captain Frank Jones who had been killed while attempting to arrest Jesus and Severino Olguin, members of a local bandit gang of thieves and murders in the El Paso
-area. This information was later used as a "death list" by members of John Hughes' posse as they either gunned down or lynched between 18-20 members of the Olguin family and wiping out the Pirate Island-based gang.
In 1890, he was brought back to the Texas Rangers. In August, 1898, while in Socorro, Texas
,he was involved in a gunfight with cowboys Bob Finley, John Collier, and John Ray. John Ray was wounded, as was St. Leon, while Dr. Oscar J. Breaux, was killed. St. Leon had called on Dr. Breaux to assist him in arresting Collier and Finley, who were recklessly discharging their firearms, with both men being wanted on charges of horse theft also. They became involved in a pursuit on horseback, which culminated in a gunbattle near the Lamaire Ranch. Dr. Breaux was hit early in the battle with a bullet to the head, dying immediately. This left St. Leon one facing three. St. Leon was also hit, the bullet entering his left shoulder at such an angle it entered into his lung. The three opposing gunmen then rode away, believing both St. Leon and Dr. Breaux were dead. St. Leon, however, was able to ride to a doctor in Ysleta, Texas
, where he was quickly assessed as being in critical condition. Collier, Ray and Finley, with Ray being wounded in the thigh, surrendered themselves to Justice of the Peace
R.J. Carr. Finley's horse had also been shot. Ranger John R. Hughes took custody of the three suspects. St. Leon died on August 31. He was buried at Concordia Cemetery
in El Paso.
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
, known prominently during the 1880s as one of its finest undercover officers. He received the nickname "Diamond Dick" from his fellow officers due to his habit of wearing diamonds on his uniform.
Biography
The son of a French refugee, Ernest St. Leon was born and raised in San Antonio, TexasSan Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. While still in law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
, he left to join the US Cavalry and had a distinguished career participating in the Texas-Indian Wars
Texas-Indian Wars
The Texas–Indian wars were a series of conflicts between settlers in Texas and Plains Indians. These conflicts began when the first European and mostly Spanish settlers moved into Spanish Texas, and continued through Texas's time as part of Mexico, when more Europeans, especially Americans...
. According to one account, he reportedly killed three warriors single handed after one of his men had been killed and eventually rose to the rank of sergeant before his discharge from military service.
He later joined the Texas Rangers, serving in Company-D throughout the 1880s and working extensively in undercover operations. St. Leon was eventually dismissed from the force due to his drinking however he did remain in contact with John Hughes and worked with him in an unofficial capacity for a time. In 1889, hired by the Fronteriza Mining Company, he was involved in the capture of a group of silver ore thieves who were traveling with a large mule caravan en route to their hideout where they planned to hide the loot in an abandoned silver mine outside Shafter, Texas
Shafter, Texas
Shafter is an unincorporated community in Presidio County, Texas, United States. The Texas Attorney General's Office gives a population of 11 as of the 2000 Census. It was named in honor of General William Shafter, who at one point commanded the nearby Fort Davis. In the early 1900s six silver...
. Posing as one of the escorts, he led the robbers into an ambush as Texas Rangers John R. Hughes
John Hughes (lawman)
John Reynolds Hughes was a Texas Ranger and cowboy of the Old West, and later an author.-Early life:Hughes was born John Reynolds Hughes, in Cambridge, Illinois, son to Thomas Hughes and Jennie Bond Hughes. In 1865 the family moved to Dixon, Illinois, then later to Mound City, Kansas. Hughes left...
and Lon Oden
Lon Oden
Lon Oden was a Texas Ranger of the Old West, and is a legend inside the Texas Rangers organization.-Early life:...
, assisted by St. Leon, attempted to take them into custody. Antonio Carrasco and his two brothers were killed in the ensuing gunfight and were later buried next to the abandoned mine.
While living among the Mexican-American peasants along the border, he was able to obtain a list of twenty names of men involved in the murder of Captain Frank Jones who had been killed while attempting to arrest Jesus and Severino Olguin, members of a local bandit gang of thieves and murders in the El Paso
El Paso
El Paso, a city in the U.S. state of Texas, on the border with Mexico.El Paso may also refer to:-Geography:Colombia:* El Paso, CesarSpain:*El Paso, Santa Cruz de TenerifeUnited States:...
-area. This information was later used as a "death list" by members of John Hughes' posse as they either gunned down or lynched between 18-20 members of the Olguin family and wiping out the Pirate Island-based gang.
In 1890, he was brought back to the Texas Rangers. In August, 1898, while in Socorro, Texas
Socorro, Texas
Socorro is a city in El Paso County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 27,152. By the 2010 census, the number had grown to 32,013. It is part of the El Paso Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city was reactivated in 1986 and has been a working city since then...
,he was involved in a gunfight with cowboys Bob Finley, John Collier, and John Ray. John Ray was wounded, as was St. Leon, while Dr. Oscar J. Breaux, was killed. St. Leon had called on Dr. Breaux to assist him in arresting Collier and Finley, who were recklessly discharging their firearms, with both men being wanted on charges of horse theft also. They became involved in a pursuit on horseback, which culminated in a gunbattle near the Lamaire Ranch. Dr. Breaux was hit early in the battle with a bullet to the head, dying immediately. This left St. Leon one facing three. St. Leon was also hit, the bullet entering his left shoulder at such an angle it entered into his lung. The three opposing gunmen then rode away, believing both St. Leon and Dr. Breaux were dead. St. Leon, however, was able to ride to a doctor in Ysleta, Texas
Ysleta, Texas
Ysleta is a community in El Paso, Texas. Ysleta was settled between October 9 and October 12, 1680, when Spanish conquistadors, Franciscan clerics and Tigua Indians took refuge along the southern bank of the Rio Grande. This is the oldest European settlement in the area that is the present-day U.S....
, where he was quickly assessed as being in critical condition. Collier, Ray and Finley, with Ray being wounded in the thigh, surrendered themselves to Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
R.J. Carr. Finley's horse had also been shot. Ranger John R. Hughes took custody of the three suspects. St. Leon died on August 31. He was buried at Concordia Cemetery
Concordia Cemetery
Concordia Cemetery is a historic cemetery located at Buffalo in Erie County, New York. It consists of a rectangular plot and was founded in 1859 by three German Lutheran congregations; First Trinity Lutheran Church, St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church, and St. Stephen's Evangelical Church...
in El Paso.